Mothers With This Particular Furry Pet Will Have Healthier Babies

It turns out, they're also crucial for the development of health gut flora in human babies.

Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered that households with dogs help babies produce higher levels of beneficial gut bacterias that scientists say fight both obesity and allergies.

"Early-life exposure to household pets has the capacity to reduce risk for overweight and allergic disease, especially following caesarean delivery," researchers said in a statement. "The impact of pet ownership varies under different birth scenarios; however, in common, exposure to pets increased the abundance of two bacteria, which have been negatively associated with childhood atopy and obesity."

The data shows that even mothers who had a dog during their pregnancies yielded similar results.

Thus reinforcing why every home should come with a standard issue good boy or girl. Plus, come on, moms and babies playing with puppies. Is there anything better than that?